I am trying to melt the new CFTKR sample scents so I know what to keep an eye out for during the next opening. Also, with the first two days of back to work under my belt, I am seriously needing the aromatherapy of Sleepy and Ever Night for my bedtime routine. This old gal is POOPED! If you would like a review on any of these tarts, please let me know which ones in the comments.

This was our first year vacationing in Tennessee, pretty near Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. I admit I was a tad leery since I knew Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg were known to be pretty touristy, but we ended up having a great time. Of course we hit the parks and trails more than the hustle and bustle of the semi-Orlando-esque touristy areas. Cade's Cove was one of those beautiful park days.

We drove the 11 mile loop and stopped a few times to look at old churches and homesteads.

We also packed a picnic lunch and hiked to the Elijah Oliver place to sit and eat on a couple of logs and watch the deer climbing the mountain a few hundred yards away from our spot. This spring fed cellar immediately brought to mind Fraser's Ridge and their root cellars.

It must have been incredibly bucolic yet rigorous to live this far out a century or so ago. It certainly instilled a measure of peace just walking the trails and soaking in the beauty.

Of course by the time we hiked back we were thirsty and ready to ride the rest of the loop. We saw turkey, deer and horses but no bears in Cade's Cove. Thankfully we did spy a mama bear and her cubs on the side of the road in the Smoky Mountain National Forest on the way from Cade's Cove back to town. There were about a dozen cars pulled over with people out and taking photos.

I will post some of the places we ate at and things we did in the next few days.

Have you been to Cade's Cove? Do you enjoy wildlife sightings? What animals tug your heartstrings?

10 comments:

Magnificent photos, they give a real sense of place. The Cove appears so lush and green and the mountain views, breath-taking, but giving too.Now then Fraser's Ridge isn't an actual place right? Is it a location in the books, or tv location? Been watching the series but don't know if I'll ever get to the books...You mention being back to work, has school already started in Fla, or are you there prepping? Shel has only 2 more weeks:(Ah, forest critters I'm fond of-bunnies, foxes (I saw a red one on the jogging trail once) owls of course...not really forest, but I'm fascinated by Buffalo, such history and big thoughtful eyes.

I don't think Fraser's Ridge is a real location (except in my mind) but rather generically somewhere in the North Carolina mountains. It is in the books but farther in. I am the opposite I love the books and would even read them again (and have) rather than watch the show. I do like the show a bit but I hate if they aren't the same and they really don't grasp Jamie and Claire.

Teachers are back until August 10th, then the kids return that day. So 3 more work days ahead. Our last day of school will be May 24th I believe. Our state is always tinkering with the start and end times. Drives me nuts.

Foxes! I love foxes too. And yes, the owls. Buffalo are very cool. I big part of American history. <3

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful photos! I have never been to TN or KY, but I would love to explore the TN/KY/NC mountains. My father's mother's side of the family were among the first Europeans to settle in a remote Appalachian area of south eastern KY. I have done a lot of the genealogical research and would like to go there to see the region. The area where they lived is still very rural and poor. Even my friend who is a scholar of early American KY told me he doesn't know much about it because it's a secretive place. My grandma was born in 1898 there and died in 1988. She became deaf when she was a toddler from scarlet fever - the doctors removed her voice box because deaf people were also supposed to be mute. (insert rage here). However, as a child, she was sent away to a deaf school in Danville, KY - the first one in the USA wasn't too far from them. She was educated and then sent to Portland, OR for a deaf training school. That's where she met my grandfather and ended up in CA (where he was from). Crazy story. Anyway - you've inspired me to put together a road trip to TN and KY and NC!!! <3

Thank you for swinging by! I love reading about your family history and story that stems from the Appalachians. I have such a respect for the men and women who pioneered there and had to live off that land in the wilderness. It is kind of mysterious isn't it? I have gotten into the habit of listening to Appalachian music. Trying to glean some history and stories from it.

I am so outraged that your grandmother, and countless other children I am sure, were treated that way. I am glad she had the fortitude to continue her life and become educated and went on to live a fulfilled life. You really should some down and over this way and visit the Smoky Mountains. I think you would really love it. <3 Is your fall semester starting soon? I hope you have a great school year!

Thank you! I hope your school year is fantastic, too! Ours starts in three weeks, and I'm so not ready.

Doing genealogical research is really fun, especially for an historian like me, but it's also bizarre - I've uncovered family secrets, and also seen crazy dysfunctional patterns replicated over the generations by people who never knew each other, but were related. So crazy!!!!

The dysfunctional patterns interest me too. We have patterns of alcohol abuse in my family that go far back so though a concern, it puts it to the forefront of my mind to watch out for it in myself and my children. Forewarned forearmed?

Too funny! That was the first one I picked to melt. Do you mind if I tell you what I thought here? There absolutely was a more serious depth to Happy Un-Birthday than just vanilla cake. When I walked through the house and smelled it (and I got a surprisingly good throw from it!) I thought it smelled similar to the Butterscotch Marshmallow fragrance oil I bought. But I could totally see it being hazelnut or something like that too. It has some deepness. Some type of toothsome toffee/nuts/caramel something or other that lends the vanilla some extra bakery goodness. I loved it and would buy it again. I used my whole clam all through my house and enjoyed the results. Did you like it?